Enjoying holiday dishes with celiac disease

The holiday season is here and that means eating can be challenging if you have celiac disease because there are so many parties and special meals with foods where gluten abounds. From the white bread or cornbread stuffing in the turkey to rolls and holiday bread to bakery desserts, there is a lot of wheat, barley and rye in traditional holiday fare - and that means gluten, which must be avoided for good health when you have celiac disease. But you can make adjustments in your holiday offerings to reduce gluten. Here are some ideas.

Rita Smith is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator. She's been working in the field of nutrition and disease prevention for more than 35 years and currently works at Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, Va. Each week, Rita provides nutrition counseling to clients who have a variety of disorders or diseases including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, celiac disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroparesis and weight management. For these clients, food choices can help them manage their health problems.